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Al Sikeli wrote:AJ is being shown as like Tony - he hooks up with his girlfriend with her child and "plays" at being adult. But he has no interest in being responsible in most facets of his life - lazy, dishonest, drop out, slovenly. In a sense too old to be acting the way he does, and too immature to be playing house with a woman with a child. Bianca being apparently not too bright herself, and also an unacceptable ethnicity for the clan. So he is like Tony - taking the easy way and not willing to work. Clearly he is in line for falling into la cosa nostra.

I'd bet he's in line for trying to fall into la cosa nostra but instead inviting terrible tragedy. AJ has absorbed the lesson of his parents' example, not their words. He is utterly uninterested in making an honest living since he never had that as an example in his life. He was basically intimiditated with violence into working the construction job. This after being fired from Blockbuster for stealing and selling stand-up posters and, like his parents might, rationalizing that he's helping the environment.

But I agree with FOMW that he has not developed the necessary temperament for it. He's more like Fredo than any other character I'd say.

Keep in mind, AJ was not really going to kill Junior for revenge. He thought, consciously or not, he'd impress his dad with his manhood and be taken into the family business. Yet he Fredoed the job in the end. The heart to heart AJ and Tony had after that is already not taking. Just like no one else around him is able to resist "The Life" either and its attendant sex, respect, excitement. He doesn't want to make an honest living any more than Tony does. It's the same thing that drove Jackie Jr, Matthew Bevilaqua (and maybe the actor who plays him in real life). And I predict it will end up no less catastrophically for AJ.

I've gone back several times and tried to see where AJ is wearing any uniform that says "Beansie's" but cannot. Someone said it was in a scene where Carm and her two kids were entering or exiting the courthouse, but I can't see it anywhere.

Nonetheless, AJ has always been my favorite character. I don't know why and I really have no idea what will likely happen to him. I just hope that his character gets a lot attention in the rest of the season. I find that more interesting than just about any other character.

Off on a tangent, I'd be very disappointed if it turned out that Bobby killed Harpo. The odds against such a co-incidence would be so astronomical that it would make me want to laugh.

I'd really love to know how AJ could go from working a $25 per hour construction job to working for min wage in a pizza parlor with a hot gf who has a kid. Did I miss something? Does anyone have any idea how that happened?

Didn't Tony suggest last season that AJ work at Beensey's, right after AJ said that they should buy him a club somewhere for him to run? I too wish that they would have clued us in to this transition and allowed us to know how he fucked up his construction job that Tony hooked him up with.

On a side note, did Beensey ever recover fully from when Richie ran over him in Season 2? Last I remember, he was going to be in a wheelchair for awhile.

I think he was last seen in CAC, late season 4. But we'll get another look at him this season because a newer promo on HBO shows a short clip with him and Tony sitting together, IIRC outisde on patio type furniture.

Tony, his spirits crushed after b-lining to the fridge first thing in the morning: "Who ate the last piece of cake?"

Splishak wrote:I'd really love to know how AJ could go from working a $25 per hour construction job to working for min wage in a pizza parlor with a hot gf who has a kid. Did I miss something? Does anyone have any idea how that happened?

Well, is the consensus this episode is approximately 6 months after "Kaisha" which was Christmas? When Tony pressured AJ to take the construction job against his will, with help from a football helmet, AJ told Tony he'd have to bail on the job when he goes back to school (if i recall) and Tony said fine.

Even before the construction job AJ was already picking up $1000 tabs at clubs. I think the idea, of AJ not just working in the pizza place but blowing it off and lying to his parents about is, is that Tony and Carmela think he should be doing any kind of real job like a normal kid but are ineffective at making that happen. Carmela wouldn't have even found out he got fired from Blockbuster had she not tried to rent Cinderella Man. "Still a classic"

HagensBing1977 wrote: But now it certainly appears as if Blanca isn't merely not a good influence...but in fact she's a terrible influence. She almost plays to AJ's worst instincts of materialism, quick-fixes, and lies.

I think it's a good bet Blanca knows very well who Tony Soprano is. If that's part of her attraction to AJ, even more reason to believe he'll be sucked in. Pun not intended. But I am happy about it.

AJ told Tony he'd have to bail on the job when he goes back to school (if i recall) and Tony said fine.

Very nice point. I suppose we just don't know if AJ left the construction job and has returned to school and is working at something part time. But I still haven't found what so many people seem to know is evidence that he is working at a pizza parlor and even specifically Beansie's parlor.

As far as Blanca's influence, my guess would be that she would want AJ doing whatever he could to bring in maximum dollars to help support her and her child.

i would think AJ and Blanca live mostly on the cash AJ gets from Carmella.that wasnt explicitly shown but its a guess.Carm will give him still cash for clothes etc. and that cash goes mostly to Blanca i guess.how long that will be enough for the two, the child and possible wishes of blanca... who knows.right now blancas son gets the food he needs in the soprano house.hes still sucking on a soother when tony looks at him so tony decides that hed rather go visit bobby than giving blancas son the breast.
that boy will grow older and tony doesnt want to give him the presents he would give to his own nephew, and the boy, permanently being in the soprano hosue, will ask for more.
mayn possibilities how this will end, tony might change his opinion or aj tries to get money on the table or blanca tries to get a better feeder or she didnt care about that at all and leaves.
right now its a bit mean that they took a puerto rican for the part, some people might consider her role as a very parasitic one.

well, i said 'permanently' only when i was talking about the boy, i take he is often enough there to make the house one of his main childhood memories.
that AJ lives mainly outside is said clearly and symbolized through his 'im a mexican' beard.

but maybe you are right and AJ is more into his role than i was first expecting. in that case i would like to see some more action finally, that kind of stuff i can really have in any soap.